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Interpreter and translator training in North Carolina

5 interpreter and translator programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these interpreter programs, and North Carolina has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Interpreters work in spoken or sign language and translators in written language; medical interpreters help patients talk with doctors and nurses, and court interpreters work in courts. Most have a bachelor's degree and must be fluent in English and at least one other language. Certification is usually optional, but most states require it for court interpreters.1

In North Carolina, 3 of the 5 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 5 programs here are interpreting or translation (associate degree, 2 programs), translator or interpreter certificate (general, 2 programs) and sign language interpreting (1 program).

See the 5 programs

How much does interpreter training cost in North Carolina?

$1,463 to $6,554

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
64 to 84 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in North Carolina may also offer interpreter training. How these figures are made

Is there free interpreter training in North Carolina?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 5 interpreter and translator programs in North Carolina approved for WIOA funding

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5 programs

  • Interpreting or translation (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Community Spanish Interpreter

    Johnston Community College

    Smithfield

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Johnston Community College, SmithfieldInterpreting or translation (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$49,500
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter at Johnston Community College
    More details about Community Spanish Interpreter at Johnston Community College
    Finished
    24%
    Working at 6 months
    70%
    Earned in a quarter
    $12,372
    Length
    104 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    105
    Earned a year, estimated
    $49,500
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter at Johnston Community College

  • Translator or interpreter certificate (general)In personEducation and courses

    Community Spanish Interpreter, Certificate

    Surry Community College

    Dobson

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Surry Community College, DobsonTranslator or interpreter certificate (general) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$18,000
    Price if you pay yourself$1,463
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter, Certificate at Surry Community College
    More details about Community Spanish Interpreter, Certificate at Surry Community College
    Finished
    30%
    Working at 6 months
    50%
    Earned in a quarter
    $4,500
    Length
    32 weeks, 9 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $268
    Students counted
    30
    Earned a year, estimated
    $18,000
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,463
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter, Certificate at Surry Community College

  • Translator or interpreter certificate (general)In personEducation and courses

    Community Spanish Interpreter Diploma

    Surry Community College

    Dobson

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Surry Community College, DobsonTranslator or interpreter certificate (general) · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,463
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter Diploma at Surry Community College
    More details about Community Spanish Interpreter Diploma at Surry Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    64 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $268
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,463
    Program website, Community Spanish Interpreter Diploma at Surry Community College

  • Sign language interpretingHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Interpreter Education

    Cape Fear Community College

    Wilmington

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Cape Fear Community College, WilmingtonSign language interpreting · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$5,743
    School website, Interpreter Education at Cape Fear Community College
    More details about Interpreter Education at Cape Fear Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    74 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $800
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,743
    School website, Interpreter Education at Cape Fear Community College

  • Interpreting or translation (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Community Spanish Interpreter

    Cape Fear Community College

    Wilmington

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Cape Fear Community College, WilmingtonInterpreting or translation (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$6,554
    School website, Community Spanish Interpreter at Cape Fear Community College
    More details about Community Spanish Interpreter at Cape Fear Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    84 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,000
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $6,554
    School website, Community Spanish Interpreter at Cape Fear Community College

How to pay for interpreter training in North Carolina

WIOA funding can pay for interpreter training in North Carolina

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for interpreter training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for interpreter training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Interpreter and translator training in Mount Airy, Wilmington, Raleigh and other North Carolina cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in North Carolina

How interpreter training compares with the rest of business and office work: Business and office training in North Carolina

Where the North Carolina interpreter program numbers come from

Which North Carolina interpreter programs are on this list?

These are the interpreter programs North Carolina approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what North Carolina offers.

How the prices and results of North Carolina interpreter programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about interpreter training in North Carolina

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Interpreters and Translators
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List